COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's basketball team used a game-ending 17-2 run to rally past Saint Anselm College, which is receiving votes toward both national polls, by a 78-65 count on Saturday in Northeast-10 Conference action at the Ross Sports Center. The Hawks qualified for the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
 
RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (2-1, 1-0 NE10), Saint Anselm (2-2, 0-1 NE10)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Sophomore Darrel Yepdo (Dracut, Mass./Brooks School), 25 points, 10-for-19 field goals
• Senior Romar Reid (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Woodstock Academy/Manhattan), 16 points, 5 assists, 2 steals, 6-for-8 free throws
• Sophomore Nolan Marold (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Brewster Academy/Loyola Chicago), 11 points, 13 rebounds (career high), 6 offensive rebounds, 3 blocks, 5-for-12 field goals
• Junior Jhamyl Fricas (Lawrence, Mass./Worcester Academy/Connors State), 11 points, 3-for-6 three-pointers
• Junior Jacob Duniver (Fredericksburg, Va./Woodstock Academy), 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4-for-6 field goals, 3-for-4 three-pointers
• Sophomore Alan Brzezinski (Örebro, Sweden Western Reserve Academy), 3 assists

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Junior Keith Robinson, 19 points, 8-for-10 field goals
• Sophomore Josh Morissette, 13 points
• Fifth-year Tyler Arbuckle, 12 points, 3 blocks
• Junior Sean McCarthy, 11 points, 8 rebounds
• Senior Matt Becker, 8 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds

GAME FACTS

• Saint Michael's held significant advantages in rebounding (49-37) and three-point shooting (41.7%-23.8%).
• The Purple Knights defeated the perennial regional powers for the first time since Feb. 17, 2018.
• Marold registered his first collegiate double-double.

THE ACTION

• Neither team led by more than five points during the first 11 minutes of the contest, until Saint Anselm swung a 16-14 deficit into a 22-16 lead on the strength of eight straight points. Four different Hawks scored, and Morissette's three-pointer capped the run at 8:34 of the opening half.
• Saint Michael's countered with a 15-3 stretch that took 3:56 to elapse. Five players scored, and Reid's triple produced a 31-25 lead at 4:21.
• The Hawks responded with the next 10 points, leading 35-31 on another Morissette three at 1:12, and the visitors led 38-36 at halftime.
• The margin remained no greater than four points during the opening 14 minutes of the second half, and Becker's put-back at 7:40 had his team in front 63-61.
• Saint Michael's held Saint Anselm to 1-of-20 shooting from there, ending the game on a 17-2 run. The Purple Knights took the lead for good on Fricas' three at 7:28. Marold and Yepdo each had four points in the stretch.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Tuesday vs. Franklin Pierce University, 5 p.m.